Bank with ties to Oklahoma governor not connected to state debit card program, officials say

OKLAHOMA CITY — A bank with ties to Oklahoma’s governor is not involved in a state employee debit card program, the state treasurer and the financial institution’s leaders said.

Treasurer Todd Russ said in a statement that the state maintains a contract with Conduent, a corporation providing business services, and its banking partner, Fifth Third Bank, which recently acquired Comerica.

Despite a lawsuit filed last week that purports otherwise, Russ said the contract is not connected to a bank with ties to Gov. Kevin Stitt. In 2000, Stitt founded Gateway mortgage company, and it later merged with a bank, creating Gateway First Bank.

“Gateway First Bank does not issue cards for Conduent or the Way2Go program,” said Jennifer Jones, a spokesperson for Gateway First Bank.

She said neither the bank nor its subsidiaries participate in the program, which allows state employees to have their pay deposited onto debit cards.

Oklahomans for Transparency in Government sued Russ last week, alleging that his office was refusing to release contracts related to the Way2Go program, which is operated by Conduent. Oklahoma law requires state employees utilize direct deposit, but if they do not have a bank account, they can obtain a Way2Go debit card instead. 

The group’s lawyer, Richard Labarthe, said he filed the lawsuit because the Treasurer’s Office refused to release contracts pertaining to the program.

Because the Treasurer’s Office refused to comply with the Open Records Act, Labarthe said at the time that there was no way to know if the program had connections with Stitt. But Labarthe said a “whistleblower” told them that parts of Conduent’s contract were “assigned or sublet” to either the bank or a subsidiary of Gateway First, which prompted both the lawsuit and records request.

Russ said all state agencies utilizing the debit card program are required to use the existing contract with Conduent, and must not use an” alternative banking provider.”

He said his office “remains committed to transparency and has offered to meet with Labrathe’s office to provide information and answer questions without the need for legal action or press conferences.”